Ellen Page Biography

Summary

"Ellen Philpotts-Page" (born February 21, 1987), known professionally as "Ellen Page", is an Academy Award-nominated Canadian actress, best known for her role as the title character in the 2007 film "Juno". For this performance, Page received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress.

She is also known for her starring roles in "Hard Candy" (2005), "Smart People", and as Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde in "X-Men: The Last Stand". She also received attention in her native Canada for award-winning roles in "Pit Pony" and "Marion Bridge", as well as television shows "Trailer Park Boys" and "ReGenesis".

In 2008, Page was nominated for "Time's" 100 Most Influential People list and placed #86 on "FHM"s Sexiest Women in the World list. In June 2008, Page was named to "Entertainment Weekly's" future A-List stars list.

Early life

Page was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of Martha Philpotts, a teacher, and Dennis Page, a graphic designer. She attended the Halifax Grammar School until grade 10, spent some time at Queen Elizabeth High School, and graduated from the Shambhala School in 2005. She also spent two years in Toronto, Ontario studying in the Interact Program at Vaughan Road Academy along with close friend and fellow Canadian actor Mark Rendall. Growing up, Page enjoyed playing with action figures and climbing trees.

Career

Page began acting at age 10, appearing in the telefilm "Pit Pony", which would later spin-off a television series. This led to roles in a number of small Canadian films and television series-notably playing Treena Lahey in Season 2 of "Trailer Park Boys". At 16, she was cast in an independent film shot in Europe, "Mouth to Mouth".

Page starred in the 2005 movie "Hard Candy", and gained praise for 'one of the most complex, disturbing and haunting performances of the year'. As the title-character star of "Juno", Page garnered substantial praise; A. O. Scott of the "New York Times" noted her as being 'frighteningly talented' and Roger Ebert said, 'Has there been a better performance this year than Ellen Page's creation of Juno? I do not think so'. Page was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in "Juno", but lost to Marion Cotillard in "La Vie En Rose". For her role in Juno she did win several awards, including a Canadian Comedy Award, Independent Spirit Award and Satellite Award.

Page next starred in "Smart People", which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and received a wide release on April 11, 2008. Page has roles in three films unreleased as of January 2008: "An American Crime", which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival; "The Tracey Fragments", which is scheduled for a U.S. release in early 2008; and "The Stone Angel". Page is also attached to star in Peter Stebbings' "The Defender" as well as "Jack and Diane" opposite Olivia Thirlby, with whom she co-starred in "Juno".

In 2008, Page will star in Michael Lander's "Peacock", opposite Cillian Murphy, Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman and Josh Lucas. She will also star in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, "Whip It!" starring along side Juliette Lewis, Marcia Gay Harden, Drew Barrymore and Kristin Wiig.

In the fall of 2008, Page will begin shooting an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre", playing the title character.

Page hosted "Saturday Night Live" on March 1, 2008 with musical guest Wilco (special appearances by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rudolph Giuliani and Vincent D'Onofrio.) For her traditional opening monologue, she poked fun at the dialogue of the movie "Juno" with cast member Andy Samberg, who impersonated "Juno" screenwriter Diablo Cody. Page's "SNL" characters included Miley Cyrus, Peter Pan, Virginia Hastings' stepdaughter, and a young woman named Marty who realizes she is a lesbian after attending a Melissa Etheridge concert.

In September 2008, it was announced that Page will guest star on an episode of the 20th season of "The Simpsons", playing a teen pop singer named Alaska Nebraska who befriends Lisa Simpson.

Personal life

As of June 2008, Page resides in her hometown of Halifax.

Page mentioned in an interview with Barbara Walters that she sleepwalks and hallucinates when she sleeps.

In an interview by Drew Barrymore for "Interview" magazine (March 2008), Page said that she has a dog named Patti, named after one of her idols, Patti Smith.

In 2008, Page joined many other celebrities in the U.S. Campaign for Burma, calling for an end to the military dictatorship in Burma.